Safety overcap for aerosol container incorporating continuous spray mechanism

ABSTRACT

A safety overcap for aerosol spray containers incorporating a locking device to prevent unwanted discharge of the product is described. The locking device automatically returns to the locked position when the container is not in use and also provides for a continuous spray operation when desired.

United States Patent Swenson 1 July 15, 1975 [54] SAFETY OVERCAP FORAEROSOL 3,734,354 5/1973 Gach ZZZ/402.11 x CONTAINER INCORPORATING3,827,605 8/1974 Knickerbocker ZZZ/402.1 1 X 3,828,982 8/1974Steigerwaldi 222/4021] X CONTINUOUS SPRAY MECHANISM Inventor: Roy S.Swcnson, Danbury, Conn.

The Risdon Manufacturing Company, Naugatuck, Conn.

Filed: I June 26, 1974 Appl. No.: 483,152

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1965 Abplanalp 222/402.l1

Primary Examiner-R0bert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Frederick R.Handren Attorney, Agent, or FirmSteward & Steward [57] ABSTRACT A safetyovercap for aerosol spray containers incorporating a locking device toprevent unwanted discharge of the product is described. The lockingdevice automatically returns to the locked position when the containeris not in use and also provides for a continuous spray operation whendesired.

9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures MT 'YWUL 15 ms SHEET SAFETY OVERCAP FORAEROSOL CONTAINER INCORPORATING CONTINUOUS SPRAY MECHANISM BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved safety cap of thetype used on hand held aerosol spray cans incorporating non-removablespray-through overcaps. More particularly, this invention relates to alocking device in an actuator overcap combination that prevents unwantedspray actuation and also provides a continuous spray operation. Further,the locking mechanism, while very effective, is quickly and easilyreleased to allow depression of the actuator for normal spraying andautomatically returns to the locked position when spraying isdiscontinued.

The unwanted actuation of aerosol spray cans is a problem the industryis well aware of. There have been a number of safety mechanisms devisedto prevent the unwanted dispensing of products from aerosol cans byuniformed users such as children or premature dispensing during shippingand storage of the container. See Venus U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,993, Wakemanet al U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,748, Sette, U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,119, Gach U.S.Pat. No. 3,734,354, Blank U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,682, Blank U.S. Pat. No.3,754,689 and Mead U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,607 for examples of safetyovercap devices designed to prevent unwanted discharge of products fromaerosol cans.

Many of these devices, although workable, were in some cases tedious tooperate, would not return to a locked position automatically, or onceactivated would no longer serve to act as a lock. Thus some protectivedevices were difficult and cumbersome for even an adult to operate.Others, were a one-time locking mechanism in that once activated theactuator could no longer be locked. This solved most shipping andpointof-sale shelving problems, but does not provide continuousprotection for uninformed users such as children. Further, many devicesalthough providing for repetitive locking of the container actuator,require the user to remember to do some positive act in order to relockthe actuator. Thus, if a person forgot to correctly position the lockingdevice, it is ineffective and the danger still exists of unwantedspraying or discharge of the aerosol cans product.

Other objections of some of the prior arrangements have been that theydid not lend themselves to available automated capping equipment used instandard aerosol filling operations, or required special valveconstructions to accept the locking arrangement.

I have substantially overcome these locking problems with my presentinvention, in addition to providing in the locking device a capabilityfor a continuous spray function, and the invention is fully applicableto standard capping machines in the aerosol filling line.

Thus it is the main object of this invention to provide a locking devicefor an aerosol container actuator that can quickly and easily bereleased by informed users to allow discharge of the product, butautomatically returns to a locked position when the spraying iscompleted so as to effectively prevent accidental discharge byuninformed persons. In addition, the locking device is capable ofworking in combination with the actuator to provide for continuousspraying.

Further features and other objects and advantages of this invention willbecome more apparent from a study of the following detailed descriptionwith reference to the drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION tab and prevents the tab from being depressed,thus acting as a block and preventing the discharge of the product.However, by simply applying pressure to the side walls of the actuatorovercap, the strut is flexed or bowed such that its blocking portionmoves from under the valve actuating tab and allows the tab to bedepressed.

When the tab is then released and the pressure is released from the sidewall of the overcap, the strut automatically unflexes and assumes itsoriginal position under the actuator tab thus providing an automaticrelocking.

This cooperation of the strut and actuating tab to block operation ofthe latter is supplemented in the assembled aerosol dispenser bydesigning the height of the strut to essentially fill the gap betweenthe underface of the actuating tab and the valve pedestal in the normalunactuated condition of the tab, so that more positive blocking of thetab is assured.

Thus, this quick and simple locking device allows positive locking ofthe actuator tab, easy unlocking and dispensing of the product andautomatic relocking. In addition, by designing the strut with a nibconstruction the strut can, when in intermediate flexed position,permanently hold the actuator tab in depressed or actuating position toprovide for continuous spraying until the strut is unflexed and thenib-tab engagement released.

Further features of this invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description making reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a one-piece actuatorovercap construction with hidden lines showing the locking mechanism astaught by this patent;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the overcap with hidden lines showing theflexible locking strut located by a pair of ribs in the normal lockingposition in which the actuator tab cannot be depressed;

FIG. 3 is the same top plan view of the overcap as shown in FIG. 2 withthe hidden lines showing the flexible locking strut in fully flexedposition in which the actuator can be depressed due to the pressureexerted on the side wall of the overcap by the user causing the strut tobow radially outwardly;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are fragmentary cross-sectional side elevational viewsshowing the flexible strut, respectively, in the unflexed and flexedpositions, as well as locked position providing for continuous spraying;

FIGS. 7, 8 are fragmentary cross-sectional side elevational viewssimilar to FIGS. 4-, 5 and 6, showing a modified strut arrangement;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the cap showing the modifled strut of FIG.8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a further strutmodification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In particular, and withreference to the foregoing drawings, a portion of a typical aerosolcontainer is illustrated with a molded plastic actuator overcap 12mounted on the valved end, as shown in FIG. 1. The container is ofconventional construction with an upper chine or lip 14 formed at thejuncture where a domed top wall 16 is secured to the container body 10.In addition, a valve assembly 18 is located in the opening provided inthe domed top wall 16 of container 10. A tubular valve stem 19 (see FIG.4) projects axially upward above the upper end of the dispensingcontainer. The container and valve arrangement thus far described areconventional and any appropriate form of valve having a tubular stemwhich, when reciprocated axially will open and close the valve to allowaerosol product to discharge through the stem, may be employed. A numberof such valves are well known and commercially available.

The actuator overcap 12 takes the general form of an inverted cup havingside wall 20 and an end or bottom wall 22. Side wall 20 of cap assembly12 constitutes a generally smooth but inwardly stepped extension of theside wall of the container, with the lower edge of the cap beingfrictionally engaged in the annular recess formed adjacent chine 14 ofthe container. The cap body 12 is formed with a curved reentrant surface24 intersecting the side and end walls to form a flared opening givingaccess for spray discharge of aerosol product. The end wall of the capis slotted to provide an elongated actuator tab 26 located directly overthe valve stem 19 and hingedly joined at its rear portion to the sidewall of the cap body opposite reentrant surface 24. Tab 26 is thus freefor limited flexural movement of its free end transversely of end wall22. At its free end it has a laterally exposed face 28 and a dischargeorifice 30 opens onto face 28, being connected internally of the tab bya passage 32 which leads into a valve stem receiving socket 34 formed inthe underside of tab 26. Depression of tab 26 at its unhinged end willthus serve to depress valve stem 19 and allow aerosol product to bedischarged through the stem and out through discharge orifice 30.

In order to prevent unwanted operation of the dispenser, a resilientlocking strut 36 is located by means of supporting ribs 38 in the upperportion of the overcap, being disposed thereby generally diametricallyof the cap but being slightly longer than the cordal dimension betweenribs 38 so that it is slightly pre-bowed in a direction radially outwardof the cap axis. Strut 36 is positioned such that the upper edge of thebowed center portion is juxtaposed to the underface of the actuator tab26. In the locked position, FIGS. 2 and 4, the center portion of thelocking strut is located directly under a narrow projecting nose of theactuator tab thus preventing the tab from being depressed. This lockingfunction is supplemented by making the center of the strut of a heightsubstantially equal to that of the gap between the valve post'andactuator tab, whereby the strut forms a positive block between the postand actuator.

In order to put the dispensing cap 12 in operative condition, all thatis required is to apply finger pressure to the side wall 20 of theovercap as shown in FIG. 3. This pressure distorts the cap side wall andcauses the locking strut 36 to increase its bowed condition, thus movingits center portion from under the nose 40 of the actuator tab 26. Theresult of this, as shown in FIG. 5, is that actuator tab 26 is then freeto be depressed to open valve 18 and allow the discharge of the aerosolproduct. When the tab is released and the pressure no longer applied tothe side walls of the overcap, the resilient strut returns to itsoriginal shape and position under the nose of the tab, thusautomatically relocking the actuator tab. This locking device, althoughquick and simple for an adult to operate, is efficient in preventingsmall children from discharging the contents of the container.

Further, by designing resilient strut to incorporate a small detent lip42 at the rear upper edge of its central portion, as shown in FIG. 6,the actuator tab may be latched in depressed position to allowcontinuous spray discharge without requiring the user to maintain fingerpressure on the actuator. The latching is effected by first squeezingthe sides of the overcap to release the lock formed by strut 36, asalready described, and then the actuator is depressed to bring the upperedge of nose 40 beneath lip 42. At this point, the lateral or squeezingpressure on the overcap is released before releasing the finger pressureon the actuator tab. This continuous spray condition is readilyinterrupted simply by again squeezing the sides of the overcap, thusbowing the locking strut out of engagement with the nose of the actuatortab, allowing the latter to resume its normal non-depressed position.

It will be apparent that the interengageable arrangement between thestrut and tab just described, wherein the strap is located adjacent thelateral face in the unlocked condition, can be accomplished in otherways. For example, a hub or boss can be formed on the under surface ofthe tab at some point which is clear of the valve pedestal, and thelocking strut positioned so as to normally underlie such boss butcapable of being flexed out of underlying position in the mannerdescribed. The continuous spray function may also be incorporated inthis arrangement by suitable formation of the side wall of the boss toprovide a detent for a latching nib on the strut. Other similarmodifications are illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 10. Thus in FIGS. 7 and8, a transverse recess or slot 50 in the underface of tab 26 ispositioned to receive strut 36, and here the strut is designed to bowinwardly from its normal blocking position as seen in FIG. 7 to itsunlocked position seen in FIG. 8.'FIG. 9 shows a strap (dotted line)pre-bowed in such condition. FIG. 10 illustrates how recess 50 can beformed with a latching lip 54 to engage a complementary latching lip 56of the strut to provide the continuous spray discharge conditionmentioned above.

In order to improve the bowing action of the strut it may preferably beformed in I-I-shape, as viewed in plan. (See dotted line showing in FIG.1). With this strut oriented so that its plane is generally axial of thecap, the upper portion of the legs of the strut help to locate it inproper position in the cap, while the lower leg portions provide contactwith the lower skirt area of the cap which is more flexible and thuseasier to squeeze, and these lower legportions transmit the action tothe central bowed portion of the strut. Other similar modifications arebelieved obvious to those experienced in the design of actuator overcapstructures for aerosol packaging.

Having thus described the invention in detail and with sufficientparticularity as to enable those skilled in the art to practice it, whatis desired to have protected by Letters Patent is set forth in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A molded plastic overcap and actuator device for a valved aerosoldispensing container having an axially projecting valve stem, comprisingin combination:

a cap body in the form of an inverted cup having side and end walls,means on said cap for securing it to the valved end of the container inenclosing relation thereto;

an integral valve actuator formed in said cap end wall by slotting saidend wall to define a generally diametrically disposed tab hingedlyconnected at one end to said cap adjacent said side wall and free at itsopposite end for resilient flexing movement toward and away from theplane of said end wall;

said tab having a laterally exposed face at its free end and a dischargeorifice opening onto said face, said cap body being configured tocomplement said laterally exposed end face to give access for unimpededspray discharge from said tab face;

a socket formed in the underside of said tab adjacent its free end forfitted reception therein of a valve stem, and internal conduit means insaid tab intercommunicating said discharge orifice and socket;

interengagable locking means carried by said cap body and tab,respectively, said locking means comprising a resilient strut extendinggenerally diametrically of the cap internally thereof beneath said tab,said strut being retained in the cap in prebowed condition to disposeits central portion under the free end of said tab and engagable therebyto block depression of the tab, said strut being capable of furtherbowing in the same direction upon application of manual pressure toopposite side walls of the cap at the points of attachment of the strutthereto, said further bowing causing displacement of said centralportion of said strut to a non-blocking position relative to said tab topermit depression of said tab free end out of the plane of said cap endwall. 2. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid cap is provided at generally diametrically opposed points on itsinner wall with rib means, and said reslilient strut is engaged andretained in said cap by said rib means to dispose it normally inpre-bowed condition.

3. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidresilient strut has a central portion configured to substantially fillthe gap normally present between the underface of said actuator tab andthe adjacent face of the valve assembly in the dispenser on which saidovercap and actuator device is adapted to fit.

4. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidresilient strut is configured to provide a detent lip and said actuatortab is configured to provide a complementary detent formation, saiddetent lip and detent formation being interengagable in a depressedposition of said actuator tab to latch said tab in such position.

5. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidtab has a forward projection on its free end, and said central strutportion normally underlies said projection but can be bowed further bylateral pressure on said cap side wall so as no longer to be engagableby said projection upon depressing said tab.

6. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidtab is formed in its underface with a transverse recess adjacent saidtab socket, said recess being positioned and adapted to receive saidstrut portion in its displaced position only, whereby to permitdepression of said tab.

7. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidstrut locking position is located between the free end of said tab andits valve stem receiving socket and said strut is pre-bowed away fromthe hinged end of said tab.

8. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidstrut locking position is located between said valve stem receivingsocket and the hinged end of said tab, and said strut is pre-bowedtoward the hinged end of said tab.

9. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidstrut is of l-l-shape when viewed cap.

generally axially of the

1. A molded plastic overcap and actuator device for a valved aerosoldispensing container having an axially projecting valve stem, comprisingin combination: a cap body in the form of an inverted cup having sideand end walls, means on said cap for securing it to the valved end ofthe container in enclosing relation thereto; an integral valve actuatorformed in said cap end wall by slotting said end wall to define agenerally diametrically disposed tab hingedly connected at one end tosaid cap adjacent said side wall and free at its opposite end forresilient flexing movement toward and away from the plane of said endwall; said tab having a laterally exposed face at its free end and adischarge orifice opening onto said face, said cap body being configuredto complement said laterally exposed end face to give access forunimpeded spray discharge from said tab face; a socket formed in theunderside of said tab adjacent its free end for fitted reception thereinof a valve stem, and internal conduit means in said tabintercommunicating said discharge orifice and socket; interengagablelocking means carried by said cap body and tab, respectively, saidlocking means comprising a resilient strut extending generallydiametrically of the cap internally thereof beneath said tab, said strutbeing retained in the cap in prebowed condition to dispose its centralportion under The free end of said tab and engagable thereby to blockdepression of the tab, said strut being capable of further bowing in thesame direction upon application of manual pressure to opposite sidewalls of the cap at the points of attachment of the strut thereto, saidfurther bowing causing displacement of said central portion of saidstrut to a non-blocking position relative to said tab to permitdepression of said tab free end out of the plane of said cap end wall.2. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidcap is provided at generally diametrically opposed points on its innerwall with rib means, and said reslilient strut is engaged and retainedin said cap by said rib means to dispose it normally in pre-bowedcondition.
 3. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1,wherein said resilient strut has a central portion configured tosubstantially fill the gap normally present between the underface ofsaid actuator tab and the adjacent face of the valve assembly in thedispenser on which said overcap and actuator device is adapted to fit.4. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein saidresilient strut is configured to provide a detent lip and said actuatortab is configured to provide a complementary detent formation, saiddetent lip and detent formation being interengagable in a depressedposition of said actuator tab to latch said tab in such position.
 5. Anovercap and actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab hasa forward projection on its free end, and said central strut portionnormally underlies said projection but can be bowed further by lateralpressure on said cap side wall so as no longer to be engagable by saidprojection upon depressing said tab.
 6. An overcap and actuator deviceas defined in claim 1, wherein said tab is formed in its underface witha transverse recess adjacent said tab socket, said recess beingpositioned and adapted to receive said strut portion in its displacedposition only, whereby to permit depression of said tab.
 7. An overcapand actuator device as defined in claim 1, wherein said strut lockingposition is located between the free end of said tab and its valve stemreceiving socket and said strut is pre-bowed away from the hinged end ofsaid tab.
 8. An overcap and actuator device as defined in claim 1,wherein said strut locking position is located between said valve stemreceiving socket and the hinged end of said tab, and said strut ispre-bowed toward the hinged end of said tab.
 9. An overcap and actuatordevice as defined in claim 1, wherein said strut is of H-shape whenviewed in plan and is oriented in said cap so that its plane isgenerally axially of the cap.